Washing machine



July 31, 1928.

L. B. GREEN WASHING MACHINE Filed oct. a, 1927 Illlllll Patented July 3l, 1928.

y 1,679,123 PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES LEE B. GREEN, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BORDEN COMPANY, OF WARREN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

WASHING MACHINE.

Appneation mea october s, 1927. serial No. 224,785.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machines and has reference particularly to centrifugal driers and the mounting and driving of the same.

While centrifugal driers for domestic clothes washing machines are gaining steadily in popularity and possess numerous advantages over power driven wringers, still, as usually constructed, centrifugal driers are open to some objection on account of the vibrations which are set up in their operat-ion, particularly where the clothes are not evenly distributed in the drier basket.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is the provision of a machine so constructed as to reduce vibration to a minimum.

Another object is the rovision o f a drying basket support whicii is capable of adjusting itself so that its center of mass will move into the axis of rotation and maintain that position during rotation.

Another object is the mounting of the support for the drying basket exclusively in a bearing at the bottom of the machine frame, so that any Vibration which does result from the rotation of the basket will be transmitted to that part of the frame which is close to the floor, and therefore, most rigid.

Other objectsand features of novelty Will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the presentapplication, I have illustrated in the' accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a washing machine embodying my invention, some of the parts being broken away and others shown in sec-tion in order to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 Fig. 2.

The type of washing machine selected for illustration in connection with the present invention is disclosed in some detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 201,605, filed June 27, 1927. The tub of the washer herein is shown at 10, being supported at the upper end of a pillar 11 which is rigidly mounted at its lower end in a clamp 12 that constitutes a portion of the base frame of the machine. An electric motor 13 is hung by means of a bracket 14 from the upper end of the pillar. A continuation of the motor shaft passes through the housing of a pump 15 mounted upon the pillar 11, this pump being employed to supply motive fluid for the operation of the washing machine mechanism which is located within the pillar 11. Such mechanism forms no part of the present invention and is therefore not illustrated.

The clamp 12 is connected by means of a heavy tubular brace 16 with a second cl. np 17, similar in construction but of smaller size, in which is mounted a second pillar 18. A pair of legs 19 extend outwardly at suitable angles from the clamp 12 and a third leg 20 extends outwardly from clamp 17. These legs may be, and preferably are, supported upon casters 21.

The pillar 18 at its upper end carries a casting 22 to which it may be welded or otherwise secured. This casting has an annular ledge upon which is mounted a drier casing 23 of sheet metal havin an upwardly flanged opening 24 in its ottom wall. The casing 23 is arranged in close proximity to the tub 10 and these two parts preferably have a common upper wall consisting of a casting 25 which is provided with spouts 26 and 27 to direct water removed from the clothes by the centrifugal drier either into the tub 10 or into other separate tubs or containers positioned adjacent the machine. Above that portion of the casting 25 which is secured to the casing 23 there is a rotatable annular water receiver 28 by means of which the flow of water is directed to the desired spout. This portion of the machine is shown more in detail in' my co-pending application Serial No. 218,419, led September 9, 1927.

l/Vithin the casing 23 is an imperforate clothes basket or container 29 outwardly flanged at its upper edge and provided with an annular delector 30 provided with a wavy or corrugated rim which is attached to the basket, radial water exit passages being thus provided above the flange of the basket. The bottom of the basket has a reenforcing casing 31 that is integral with a central tapered socket member 32, separably connected with a similarly formed upper extremity on a basket supporting and driving member 33, which I shall hereinafter refer to as a wand for lack of a better term. This wand 33 may be relatively slender so as to have an appreciable amount of flexibility. It is entirely free except at its lower end which is fitted tightly into a socket in a. cylindrical block 34. On its lower side this block is turned down to receive the inner race of a combined thrust and radial bearing 35, and has a reduced threaded end for the reception of a nut 36 by means of which the inner race of the bearing is clamped in place. An annular bearing support 37is secured to the inner wall of the pillar 18, being provided with a shouldered recess for the reception of the outer race of the ball bearing which may be clamped in position by a cap 38 threaded into the bearing support. The block 34 carrying the lower extremity of the wand 33 is thus rotatably mounted in the lower end. of pillar 18, which in turn is clamped in the base frame of the machine.

In order to drive the block 34 and thereby the wand 33, I preferably employ a sleeve 39 which is fitted tightly upon the block 34. If desired, a pin 40 may be mounted in aligned holes drilled in the sleeve 39, block 34 and wand 33, in order to insure driving connection between these parts. Near its upper end the sleeve 39 protrudes through the annular hub of a bevel gear 4l which is rotatable with respect to the sleeve as well as with respect to the casting 22, there beinga bushing 42 interposed between the sleeve and the gear and a second bushing 43 interposed between the gear and the castingp22. These bushings with the interposed gear serve as a bearing for the sleeve. The gear 41 meshes with a bevel pinion 45 pinned to a horizontal shaft 46 mounted in a bearing 47 Vwhich is provided with a radially extending plate 48 secured to a flat vertical open wall of the casting 22. The other end of the shaft 46 is joined by means of a slip connection 49, of any suitable construction, with the shaft of pump 15 which, as previously stated, is a continuation of the shaft of motor 13. The parts 46, 47 and 49 are preferably covered by a tapered tubular brace 50, by means of which the upper ends of the pillars 11 and 18 are connected and mutually supported. n

Above the gear 41 the sleeve 39 is surrounded by a sliding collar 51 which is grooved at v52. 'Irunnions 53 run in grooves 52, being carried in the ends of a yoke 54 that is mounted within the casting 22 upon a rock shaft 55 which has bearing in opposite sides of that casting and protrudes therethrough at one end, where it is connected with a lever 56 that may be operated by any suitable means, preferably by a vertically extending rod 57 provided with a handle or knob 58 on its upper extremity. The lower end of collar 51 is provided with a conical clutch Isurface that is adapted to engage a complementary clutch surface on the upper end of the hub of gear 41. The

collar 51 must be longitudinally slidable upon sleeve 39 but must have driving connection therewith at all times. As a convenient way of providing this connection, I cut notches in the upper end of sleeve 39 to fit inwardly extending teeth on a ring 59 which is secured in an annular socket in the upper end of collar 51,` the teeth being of a depth somewhat less than the depth of the notches.

The upper end of collar 5l also carries a conical brake shoe 6() which is adapted t0 engage a conical surface on a brake ring 6l secured to the shoulder of the casting 22 by means of screws 62 or the like.

With the motor 13 running, the drier basket may be set in motion by depressing the rod 57, thus moving the collar 51 down so as to cause the clutch surfaces to engage. Bevel gear 41, .which is continuously driven by bevel pinion 45, then transmits motion through collar 51 and toothed ring 59 to the sleeve 39, and thence throughblock 34 to the lower extremity of wand 33. The basket 29, being mounted upon the upper end of the wand, turns with the latter at a rapid rate of rotation. Should the load in the basket be a trifle ofi center, centripetal 'force tends to bend the wand 33 sufficiently to bring the center of the load into the axis of rotation, thus reducing vibration. If there should be some slight vibration in spite of this provision of means for enabling the load to find its own center, that vibration will be conveyed to the machine principally at the bearing 35 which is in the base frame close to the floor. There i-s consequently very little tendency for the upper and less rigid part of the machine to respond to any vibrations in the drier. When t-he operation of the drier is completed, the operator raises the rod 57, thus declutching the drive to the wand 33. At the same time the brake surfaces on parts 60 and 61 are brought intc engagement and the rotation of the-sleeve 39 and related parts ils quickly stopped.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a washing machine, a centrifugal drie-r comprising a clothes basket, an upstanding wand upon the upper end of which said basket is supported, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said wand and attached thereto at their lower ends, and means for rotating said sleeve.

2. In a washing machine, a centrifugal ydrier comprising a. clothes basket, an upstanding wand upon the upper end of which said basket is supported, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said wand and secured thereto at the lower end of the wand, bearings for said sleeve, and means for rotating said sleeve.

3. Ina washing machine, a centrifugal drier comprising a. clothes basket, an upstanding wand upon the upper end of which Lerares said basket is supported, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said wand and secured thereto at the lower end of the latter, an annular gear rotatably mounted upon said sleeve, means. for driving said gear, and a clutch keyed to and slidable upon said sleeve and adapted to engage said gear.

L1. ln a Washing machine, a centrifugal drier comprising a clothes basket, an upstanding Wand upon the upper end of Which said basket is supported, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said wand and secured thereto at the lo-Wer end of the latter, an annular gear rotatably mounted upon said sleeve, nie-ans for driving said gear, a collar keyed to and slidable upon said sleeve, a brake having one braking surface on said collar and another on a iixed portion of the machine, and a clutch having one surface on said collar and the other on said gear,

said collar being slidable in one directionto clutch the gear and render the brake inoperative and in the other direetionto declutch the gear and apply the brake.

5. lln a Washing machine, a centrifugal drier comprising a clothes basket, an upstanding wand upon the upper end of which said basket is supported, a sleeve surrounding and spaced from said Wand and secured thereto at the lower end of the Wand, a bearing for said sleeve and Wand near their lower ends, a drive for said sleeve near the upper end thereof comprising an annular gear surrounding the sleeve, said gear having bearing upon the sleeve, and a rigidly supported bearing for said gear, whereby the sleeve is rotatably supported by the gear.

ln testimony whereof, ll hereunto afix my signature., j

LEE B, GREEN.

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